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Case: Why Should I Listen? As part of my 7th grade Social Studies curriculum, I have to talk about slavery, the civil rights movement, etc. The topic ultimately leads to a discussion of how Whites oppressed Blacks. I try to present these topics in a way that does not suggest any guilt. This year, one of my students had a very bad reaction. When we were talking about the civil rights, John, one of my well-behaved but opinionated students, got up and said that he did not want to listen to this lesson anymore, because all we did was to demonize the White people. Three other students openly agreed with him saying that these topics made them angry. I have to cover these topics because they are a part of my curriculum. Also, I believe in the importance teaching children about these inequalities. However, it seems like the way I teach, which is mainly based on lectures and small group work, is making my White students uncomfortable. What should I do to make sure that my White students do not feel offended by these topics? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) In dealing with the topic of slavery in the United States, teaching it in any grade or discussing it as adults can be difficult. I think a way to put your White students at ease could be to talk about the positive effects of slavery. I would discuss in an unbiased manner (as much as possible) that there were both positive and negative outcomes when slavery occurred. I would talk about that not all White people treated slaves terribly. I would also mention that even after slavery was abolished, some slaves decided to stick around their slave owners because they were provided with food, work, and shelter for their families. In order to bring the focus out of the United States, which directly ties to the students in your classroom, I would briefly mention that the concept of slavery did not start in the United States. I would discuss how over the evolution of time there were other cultures that implemented this idea of slavery and that it is not necessarily just about "whites and blacks". It is a touchy subject for everyone, but so long as you seem open and willing to discuss with your students by showing compassion for their feelings, things should go more smoothly. |
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